I Heart Halal Industry Conference

Introducing the I Heart Halal Industry Conference taking place on Friday, April 12th. Join us to learn from the experts about the halal economy, consumer buying trends, challenges in meeting the needs of this untapped market and navigating the regulatory landscape. Gather with industry experts from across the country and around the globe and be a part of the conversation.

Schedule

8:30 am: Registration

9:00 am - 9:30 am: Welcome Reception

Speaker: Dr. Muhammad Munir Chaudry – President and CEO, IFANCA

9:30 am - 10:15 am: What Halal Consumers Want

During this session, we’ll explore the halal consumer. Who are they, what are they buying and how much are they spending? You’ll also learn why the demand for halal products is rapidly increasing across the country. As we wrap up, we’ll discuss trends in the halal market and how halal products enable organic growth.

Speakers:

Mark Overland – Director Global Certification, Cargill

Haroon Latif – Director Strategic Insights, DinarStandard

10:15 am - 10:30 am: Break

Please enjoy this 15-minute break!

10:30 am - 11:30 am: Halal Consumer Focus Group

I Heart Halal is a weekend-long festival celebrating the halal lifestyle. For this panel, we’ll gather a diverse group of halal consumers to discuss their challenges, what they are trying to find and what drives their purchasing behavior. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the panel.

Panelist will include halal consumers from a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Realizing Global Halal Trade Opportunities

Trade is an integral part of the trillion-dollar global Halal Food industry. This session discusses the scale of trade and how multinational companies can best leverage Halal products to position themselves in core Muslim-majority markets.

12:30 pm - 2:00 pm: Lunch Break and Friday Prayer

Friday Prayer will be lead by Imam Zaid Shakir, Co-Founder of Zaytuna College

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: The Changing Landscape of Halal Certification

This panel will discuss the changing landscape of halal certification. Auditors and scientists from the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA), and Texas A&M University will address challenges as they face new guidelines, accreditation programs and industry needs. My Own Meals will bring the industry perspective to the panel.

Industry experts will discuss how they serve the needs of halal consumers around the globe by meeting different regulatory requirements. Industry programs that assist in meeting these requirements will be shared. As we conclude, we’ll review the areas where improvement is needed.

Moderator: Dr. Saeed Hayek – Quality Manager, IFANCA,

Panelist:

Kristopher Murray – Resident District Manager, Bon Appétit

Michael Bouchier – Manager Global Kosher & Halal Program, Abbott

Bin Xu – Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Givaudan

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm: What Halal Consumers Want (Continued)

Speaker: Adnan Durrani – Chief Halal Officer, Saffron Road

4:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Halal 2020 What’s Next

Get a head start on what’s coming next. As we wrap up the conference, a panel of industry experts, auditors and market researchers will review where halal trends and regulations are headed.

Get in Touch

Have questions about I Heart Halal? Need a floor plan, event schedule, tips on where to stay when you’re in town? Just ask. We’re adding exhibitors and participants every day, but if we can’t get you an answer today, we’ll make sure you get one as soon as possible.